Austin Boosts Security as a Result of Package Bombs

Austin Boosts Security as a Result of Package Bombs

UT Austin, Austin Country Club and the neighborhoods in the area are boosting security following the serial bombings.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Mar 21, 2018

The city of Austin is on edge after four package explosions in the city limits and a fifth package explosion at a surrounding area's Fed Ex facility that was marked for delivery to Austin, Texas.

Austin Police Department is working tirelessly to name a suspect in the serial bombings, but for now the department is telling residents to keep an eye out for suspicious packages and boosting security around the city.

For example, the University of Texas at Austin is increasing security measures in the wake of the bombings. After the forth bombing on Sunday that injured two people, UT Police Chief David Carter and interim Associate Vice President of Campus Safety and Security James Johnson sent a campus-wide email Monday morning urging students to be mindful of suspicious iteam.

"We have no evidence of any immediate threats to campus," the statement said. "But we must reamin vigilant in keeping each other safe."

UT Police have increased patrols, including K9 units, as long as the bombs continue to be a threat. The department will also continue to work with Document Solutions, the agency handling UT mail delivery, to screen suspicious packages.

In addition to the university campuses in the city, the Austin Country Club security team put out a statement about the safety of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play as a result of the Austin bombings.

"While we do not comment specifically on security measures, the safety and security of our players and fans is, and always will be, our top priority," the statement reads. "Our security advisors at the tour are working in close collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to monitor, review and evaluate the situation and implement procedures as needed."

Residential security as also seen a boost as a result of the bombings. Home security experts in Austin say they've seen an uptick in inquires for video doorbell and surveillance systems for homes, technologies that could be helpful to find the suspect in the serial bombings if a camera catches something suspicious.

The technology could also help to save lives, users receive text messages when motion is detected on their front porch and can see the package from the camera. If a package was not expected or is suspicious, the user can call 911 immediately without touching the package.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

  • AI Used as Part of Sophisticated Espionage Campaign

    A cybersecurity inflection point has been reached in which AI models has become genuinely useful in cybersecurity operation. But to no surprise, they can used for both good works and ill will. Systemic evaluations show cyber capabilities double in six months, and they have been tracking real-world cyberattacks showing how malicious actors were using AI capabilities. These capabilities were predicted and are expected to evolve, but what stood out for researchers was how quickly they have done so, at scale. Read Now

  • Why the Future of Video Security Is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reasons. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. Read Now

  • UL Solutions Launches Artificial Intelligence Safety Certification Services

    UL Solutions Inc., a global leader in safety science, today announced the launch of artificial intelligence (AI) safety certification services, enabling comprehensive assessments for evaluating the safety of AI-powered products. Read Now

  • ESA Announces Initiative to Introduce the SECURE Act in State Legislatures

    The Electronic Security Association (ESA), the national voice for the electronic security and life safety industry, has announced plans to introduce the SECURE Act in state legislatures across the country beginning in 2025. The proposal, known as Safeguarding Election Candidates Using Reasonable Expenditures, provides a clear framework that allows candidates and elected officials to use campaign funds for professional security services. Read Now

    • Guard Services
Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.